1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for identifying a document attribute. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for facilitating tactile identification of a document attribute.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many documents include printed writing, shapes, or other forms that allow the document to be visually identified. For example, currency may be identified by the printed numeral or patterns unique to a currency denomination. Similarly, a certificate, stamp, or legal document may be visually identified by the printed writing or patterns contained on those documents.
However, purely visual identification of a document may not be desirable or possible in some situations. For example, visual means for allowing document identification, such as ink lettering, watermarks, and customized document sizes, may be easily reproducible. Thus, a document that relies solely on visual means for identification may be easily counterfeited and used in an illegal manner. For example, a counterfeiter may illegally reproduce a legal document, such as a deed of trust or currency, that is visually indistinguishable from an original and attempt to use the reproduced document in an illegal manner.
In addition, a document that relies only on visual means to be identified fails to provide visually impaired persons with the ability to identify the document. For example, because all currency in the United States has an identical size regardless of denomination, and because United States currency fails to provide non-visual means for identifying a currency denomination, visually impaired persons cannot use their non-visual senses to identify a currency denomination. Similarly, other types of documents, such as stamps, legal documents, checks, receipts and certificates often fail to provide any non-visual means that enable a visually impaired person to identify the document.
One current proposal to provide visually impaired persons with the ability to identify currency is to provide a different paper size for each currency denomination. Thus, a ten-dollar bill may be sized differently than a twenty-dollar bill. Using this method, a visually impaired person may identify a currency denomination by assessing the size of the currency. However, providing a different paper size for each denomination of currency fails to distinguish currency based on other factors, such as serial number, and printing location.
Furthermore, in the United States, devices that relate to currency transactions, such as cash registers, automatic teller machines, bill accepters, and change machines, are all designed for currency of a single size. Thus, resizing currency based on denomination would require the enormous expense of replacing or modifying all such devices that relate to currency transactions to allow for compatibility with currency of different sizes.
The addition of Braille to currency presents a similar problem. Specifically, because devices related to currency transactions are not compatible with currency having raised features, the addition of Braille to currency would require the enormous expense of replacing or modifying such devices.
Another approach used to provide visually impaired persons with the ability to identify currency is to provide currency with enlarged denomination numerals and a unique color based on denomination. However, such measures are not effective for providing assistance to those with total vision loss because they still rely on visual means.
Electronic readers may also be carried and used by visually impaired persons to identify currency. However, many models of such electronic readers are considered slow, unreliable, and expensive.